Making a heroic last stand for the Glorious Glosters - Telegraph South Korea Making a heroic last stand for the Glorious Glosters Today is the 60th anniversary of the Battle of the Imjin River, the bloodiest day of the Korean War. Neil Tweedie meets one of the brave veterans making a final pilgrimage to remember the fallen . Tribute: Sebastian Mercer, who has travelled to Korea for the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Imjin. Photo: JULIAN SIMMONDS Imjin River | Britain's Greatest Battles | Online Exhibitions | National Army Museum, London Legacy The Context At the end of the Second World War, American and Soviet concern over ‘spheres of influence’ led to the partition of Korea along the 38th Parallel. The country was split into the communist Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the American-backed Republic of Korea (South Korea). Antagonism between the two nations soon developed. On 25 June 1950 the North Korean People’s Army (NKPA) invaded its southern neighbour.

The United Nations (UN) called upon its members to support South Korea and American forces were sent to the country, later to be joined by troops from other nations, including Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. At first the North Koreans made rapid progress, taking the capital Seoul and driving back the South Korean and American troops to a bridgehead around the port of Pusan. Although some North Korean forces crossed the Naktong River, General Douglas MacArthur’s troops managed to hold them off after the Waegwan bridge was blown. By September, the South Koreans and the UN forces had received reinforcements and were ready to counter-attack. A bombing campaign ensued against the NKPA and North Korea. This was followed by an amphibious assault on 15-19 September at Inchon in the enemy rear. The landing cut the North Koreans’ communications and allowed the UN to break out of the Pusan bridgehead. The UN forces advanced north and crossed the 38th Parallel, pursuing the enemy into North Korea. Pyongyang was captured and UN forces arrived at the border with China. During November, against all intelligence assessments, the Chinese attacked in great strength.

In freezing conditions, UN forces fell into headlong retreat in one of the most disorganised withdrawals in military history. By the end of 1950, the Chinese Army was across the 38th Parallel and had captured Seoul. Eventually their offensive ran out of steam and the front line was stabilised, largely thanks to the new commander, US Lieutenant-General Matthew Ridgway, who revived his command’s flagging morale. In March 1951 a UN counter-offensive pushed the Chinese back and recaptured Seoul. This was the city's fourth conquest in a year, leaving it in ruins. As winter cleared, the UN dug in close to the 38th Parallel and in early spring advanced north to create a buffer in front of Seoul. In April the Chinese counter-attacked, aiming to break through to the city. The Armies The 29th British Independent Infantry Brigade Group held a vital sector of the UN line.

The brigade was commanded by Brigadier Tom Brodie (1903-93) and comprised 1st Battalion The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers; 1st Battalion The Gloucestershire Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel James Carne (1906-86); 1st Battalion The Royal Ulster Rifles and the attached Belgian Battalion. Supporting arms included a tank squadron of 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars; 25-pounder guns of 45th Field Regiment Royal Artillery and 4.2-inch mortars of 170th Independent Mortar Battery Royal Artillery. The Chinese offensive, commanded by General Peng Dehuai (1898-1974), involved 300,000 troops attacking over a 40-mile front (64km). In Brodie’s sector, his men faced the 63rd Corps (three divisions) of General Yang Dezhi’s (1911-94) 19th Army.

The Battle 29th Brigade’s battalions were positioned on hilltops south of the Imjin River while the Belgian Battalion was north of the river on Hill 196. The frontage was more suited to a division than a brigade but it was only deemed a temporary line so the positions were neither mined nor wired. The battalions were widely dispersed and unable to provide mutual support. To the rear lay tanks of the 8th Hussars and 25-pounder guns of 45 Field Regiment. There was no medium or heavy artillery support available. On the night of 22 April Chinese infantry waded across the Imjin. On the left flank the Gloucestershire Regiment were heavily engaged, as were the Northumberland Fusiliers to the east, with the two battalions separated by the heights of Kamak San; the highest feature in the area and unoccupied by the British. Thanks to diligent reconnaissance, the Chinese knew the dispositions of 29th Brigade and the gaps between its units. By first light on 23 April the Glosters were being forced into an ever-diminishing perimeter on Hill 235 while X Company of the Fusiliers was overrun on its hilltop.

Throughout the night the guns of 45th Field Regiment had been firing over open sights in support of the infantry. As dawn broke, the gunners came under small arms fire from the Chinese, now occupying Kamak San, forcing the guns to withdraw southwards. Centurion tanks of the 8th Hussars now moved up the valley to provide support to the infantry and evacuate their wounded. The Chinese went to ground to avoid Allied airstrikes. This respite allowed the Royal Ulster Rifles to move forward and occupy Hill 398 to the east of the Fusiliers and Route 11 - the only possible line of withdrawal for the brigade. Meanwhile, the Belgian Battalion fought its way back across the river and redeployed to the south. During the night of 23-24 April, Chinese reinforcements crossed the Imjin, tasked with eliminating the Glosters. The fighting continued with rising casualties on both sides. On 24 April an attempt was made to reinforce the Glosters with a Filipino battalion and tanks. The mission failed as the Chinese now surrounded the Glosters and the terrain was impassable. The Glosters were on their own, clustered on Hill 235 under repeated assaults and mortar fire.

By now the entire Chinese 63rd Corps was across the river and threatening to entrap the other battalions. But still the Fusiliers, Glosters and Ulster Riflemen clung on, repelling attack after attack. When the weight of the enemy assaults seemed overwhelming, they even directed their own artillery fire on to their positions. As dawn broke on 25 April, the valley was shrouded in mist allowing the Chinese to infiltrate undetected. The 8th Hussars’ tanks were directed to advance up the valley and render fire support to the Fusiliers and Riflemen. Lingering ground mist obscured the route and, as two Centurions became bogged down, Chinese soldiers wielding sticky bombs attacked. The Centurions swept each other’s hulls with machine-gun fire to drive them off. Once at the head of the valley, the tanks engaged the enemy, particularly those massing on Kamak San. By mid-morning the order was given to withdraw. The exhausted men were forced to march to safety along Route 11, which was covered by enemy fire.

The Fusiliers withdrew under the covering fire of the tanks while many of the Ulster Riflemen marched south-east over the hills and thus avoided the valley floor that was now under heavy fire. The withdrawal was slow and many of the wounded and exhausted were loaded on the backs of the tanks. The Chinese swept down from the hills along the west of the valley to intercept them, but they were unable to prevent their withdrawal, despite inflicting many casualties on their infantry passengers. A further crisis then arose as the Ulster Riflemen trudging down from the hills to the east were attacked. The armoured rearguard stood defiant again and covered their retreat, firing into the approaching Chinese. Only the Glosters had not withdrawn. That night they received permission to break out, but, totally encircled, most were captured. The brigade had lost a quarter of its strength, suffering 1,091 casualties, including 622 of the Glosters. The US had lost 1,500 men killed or missing in action, the South Koreans 8,000 and the other UN forces about 1,000 men. Chinese casualties were estimated at 70,000.

The Impact The resistance of 29th Brigade provided time for the UN forces to re-group and block the Chinese advance on Seoul. The Imjin fighting also marked the end of the mobile phase of the war. Stalemate ensued alongside the strategic bombing of North Korea and the implementation of a naval blockade. The failure of the offensive demonstrated that the Chinese and North Koreans did not have the capacity to defeat the UN in battle. In June the Soviets indicated they were willing to seek a settlement through arbitration. Negotiations began on 10 July, but a further two years elapsed before an armistice was agreed in July 1953. Korea remains a divided nation. All units of 29th Brigade had fought with great courage, but it was the Gloucestershire Regiment that garnered the plaudits. ‘The Glorious Glosters’ were awarded a US Presidential Unit Citation, the highest American award for heroism and collective gallantry. The 29th Brigade’s performance on the Imjin demonstrated that the British soldier in defence was a stoical, stubborn and formidable foe. The Legacy The Korean War has never officially ended. Skirmishes still occur along the border, which remains the most heavily militarised frontier in the world.

Today, North Korea is an isolated communist state. South Korea is a thriving democracy with a burgeoning economy, yet its people have never forgotten the debt they owe to the men who fought for their liberty. Korean War veterans are welcomed whenever they visit South Korea. Hill 235 is now officially named ‘Gloster Hill’. On the 60th anniversary of the battle in April 2011 veterans of the campaign attended ceremonies at the monument on Gloster Hill where they were officially thanked by the South Korean government. They also visited the battlefield and the UN Cemetery in Pusan where most of the British dead are buried. The battle itself is also commemorated in events organised by the British Korean Veterans Association and groups such as London Korea Links and the Anglo-Korean Society. These aim to highlight the shared connections between Britain and Korea.

Glorious Gloucesters - NAAFI BAR - Anglo-Saxon Foundation Glorious Gloucesters Started by Steven , Apr 24 2011 05:44 PM Please log in to reply 19 replies to this topic Posted 24 April 2011 - 05:44 PM Making a heroic last stand for the Glorious Glosters - Telegraph Today is the 60th anniversary of the Battle of the Imjin River, the bloodiest day of the Korean War. Neil Tweedie meets one of the brave veterans making a final pilgrimage to remember the fallen. Sam Mercer was 17 when he cycled from Cheltenham to Gloucester to join up. It was 1947 and the teenager was hungry for adventure. Told to list three regiments in order of preference, he put the Gloucestershire Regiment ï¿½ the Glosters ï¿½ first, followed by the Worcesters and the Warwicks. Mercer got his first choice thus ensuring his rendezvous with fate on a hill in Korea four years later. ï¿½Adventure? Oh I got that all right,ï¿½ he says, a twinkle in his one remaining eye.

ï¿½I got that in spadesï¿½. Today, St Georgeï¿½s Day, Mr Mercer will be standing at the foot of that hill remembering those who fought and died there exactly 60 years ago. In 1951, at the height of the Korean War, it was Hill 235, a vantage point overlooking crossings on the Imjin River. That piece of high ground would soon earn a new name, Gloster Hill, as the scene of the most desperate action fought by the British Army since the Second World War. The stand made by 1st Bn The Gloucestershire Regiment ï¿½ the ï¿½Glorious Glostersï¿½ as headline writers called them ï¿½ in the face of massed human-wave attacks by Chinese communist troops ranks alongside Rorkeï¿½s Drift as an example of steadfastness in the face of overwhelming odds. For three days, between April 22 to 25, 750 men of the battalion repulsed successive assaults by a force seven times bigger.

Surrounded, with no hope of rescue, running short on water and ammunition, the men from the West Country fought literally to the last bullet and grenade. Some 620 failed to make it back to friendly lines. A third of the battalion were killed or wounded, the survivors spending the next two years in Chinese or North Korean prison camps. The destruction of the Glosters was the most dramatic episode during the Battle of the Imjin River, in which the 4,000-strong British 29th Brigade held off 27,000 Chinese attackers at a cost of 1,000 casualties over three days. Yet little attention is being paid to the 100 or so elderly men gathered in South Korea this weekend to commemorate the 60th anniversary. ï¿½The British Army lost more men in Korea than in the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts combined,ï¿½ says Andrew Salmon, author of a book on the battle, To the Last Round. ï¿½Imjin River was the bloodiest British battle of the Korean War ï¿½ an entire battalion was wiped out ï¿½ yet it is dead to modern memory.

The British public learn history from popular culture, and Imjin never featured in a film or best-seller.ï¿½ Mr Mercer, 81, is unconcerned. ï¿½This is a personal duty, probably my last chance to visit the battlefield,ï¿½ he says. ï¿½Iï¿½m not interested in who turns up but Iï¿½m going to take the full roll of honour and read out all those names: Pat Angier, Philip Curtis, Richard Reeve-Tucker and the others.ï¿½ Part of the Japanese Empire, Korea was divided into the communist North and Western-backed South in 1945, an uneasy peace enduring until June 1950 when the Soviet-equipped army of Kim Il-sung flooded across the 38th Parallel. South Korean and American forces fighting under the UN flag were forced into a small pocket before an amphibious landing at Inchon wrong-footed the North Koreans, sending them back to the Chinese border. Victory was within grasp when Mao Tse-tungï¿½s masses intervened at the end of the year, driving UN forces south once more.

By the time of the Battle of the Imjin, the front had stabilised roughly along the line of the old border. The UN armies were severely undermanned and 29th Brigade, operating under American command, was strung out in the hills north-west of Seoul, holding a front so wide that it required an entire division. Separated from the rest of the brigade by a gaping hole in the line, the Glosters were vulnerable to encirclement. Nemesis duly arrived in the form of the Chinese 63rd Shock Army, tasked with punching its way through the UN lines towards the battered South Korean capital. In preparation for their spring offensive, the Chinese had sent observers deep into the heart of the isolated British positions ï¿½ so close that they were able to enjoy a Doris Day film being shown to troops. ï¿½We were holding positions that the Chinese were determined to take, and they didnï¿½t care how many men they lost to get them,ï¿½ says Mr Mercer. ï¿½Mao Tse-tung was not one for public opinion.ï¿½ The viciousness of the fighting matched anything seen at Imphal or Kohima.

Two Victoria Crosses, one awarded to Lt-Col James Carne, commanding officer of the Glosters, testify to its intensity. ï¿½The fighting in Korea was the most nightmarish British soldiers have experienced in recent history,ï¿½ says Mr Salmon. ï¿½Close-quarter, at night, against the Chinese human wave. The trauma continues to this day: six decades on and veterans still sleep with the lights on.ï¿½ Mr Mercer does not suffer nightmares. ï¿½I was enjoying it. I know that is a strange thing to say but it was what I had joined up to do. We had a good battalion. Carne didnï¿½t say a lot; he didnï¿½t use three words when two would do ï¿½ a rare quality ï¿½ but it was all going on upstairs in his head. He was coolness itself under fire.

We had our orders and, as one of the men said: 'Donï¿½t worry sir, weï¿½ll be like the Rock of Gibraltarï¿½.ï¿½ Sleepless for three days, the young Private Mercer witnessed numerous acts of heroism as the battle raged around the shrinking British perimeter, but one incident stands out. On the first night of the battle, Lt Philip Curtis, 24, was confronted with a Chinese-held bunker which threatened his unitï¿½s retreat to safer ground. Severely wounded during his single-handed attempt to storm the strongpoint, he was dragged to safety by his men. But he struggled free, advanced again and managed to lob a grenade into the mouth of the bunker ï¿½ just as the machine gun cut him down. His gallantry earned him a posthumous VC. ï¿½The feeling in the platoon was that the first time we hit serious trouble weï¿½d lose Mr Curtis,ï¿½ says Mr Mercer. ï¿½He preferred to lead from the front with rifle and bayonet rather than from the back with a revolver. He had lost his wife during childbirth and there may have been some other source of sadness.

He was a good man.ï¿½ The battle ended for Mr Mercer on the third night when he was severely wounded in the eye and leg by a mortar round. Falling into a deep sleep at the dressing station, he awoke to daylight and silence. The battle had ended after Carne, his position untenable, ordered his men to escape through the Chinese lines. Few succeeded. The young British soldier was discovered by two Chinese, one of whom shot him in the leg. Blind in one eye, he received little treatment during his captivity. Following his release, he was admitted to hospital in London, where doctors amputated his leg below the knee. The nurse who cared for him became his wife. ï¿½I would not want to go through it again but Iï¿½m glad that I did. You learn a lot about human beings.ï¿½ But to be maimed at such an age? ï¿½All part of lifeï¿½s rich tapestry.

I lost and eye and a leg but gained a wife.ï¿½ Members of other units, notably the Royal Ulster Rifles and the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, have expressed frustration at the lack of attention paid to the sacrifices of their units. ï¿½It does rankle with one or two people,ï¿½ says Mr Mercer. ï¿½I donï¿½t know who thought of 'Glorious Glostersï¿½ but it wasnï¿½t us. It was a brigade battle and we were all in it together.ï¿½ So, what happened to the Gloucestershire Regiment? The regiment was one of the British Army's most battle honoured units, and amalgamated with the Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment in 1994 to form the 1st Battalion, The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment. The regimental archives and memorabilia of The Glosters as well as their antecedents, The 28th and 61st Regiments of Foot are held by The Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum, which is located within the Historic Docks in Gloucester and available on-line at The Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum.

In March 2005, it was announced by the socialist New Labour government that this regiment would merge with the Light Infantry, The Royal Green Jackets and the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment to form the 1st Battalion, The Rifles. At this time, the RGBW was made a Light Infantry Regiment, becoming the RGBWLI. This served to forge identity within the blandly named Rifles regiment. Steve 2 PARLIAMENT IS THE ENEMY OF THE ENGLISC NATION The English, insofar as they recognise their origin, identity and cultural roots, are not 'Westerners', but an ancient northern people - Rev. John Lovejoy hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre, mod sceal þe mare þe ure mægen lytlað Gender:Male Posted 24 April 2011 - 06:28 PM An excellent story Steven and one very close to my heart, my grandfather served in the Glosters in early WW2 but transfered, due to medical reasons, to the REME before their ill fated departure to Burma.

I also was an Army Cadet bagded to the Glosters and had the honour of wearing the 'back badge' an honour bestowed on then during the battle of Alexandra in 1801 where the order 'rear rank, right about face' was given and the regiment held off an attack from the French cavalry. They had more battle honours on their standard than any other British unit. I believe that they are the only British regiment that wear a United States commondation on their tunics (also gained in Korea). They were an outstanding unit steeped in history and honour, it is a true shame that they amalgamated and their proud history disolved. I think that the battle for Gloster Hill would make an excellent film, although I did see it mentioned during Peter and Dan Snows 20th century battlefields. I guess hollywood would have to paint an English Regt in a good light.. I salute all the men who fought and died on that battlefield and I can assure you that the Gloucestershire Regt is still held in very high regard by many.

3 Gender:Male Posted 24 April 2011 - 07:56 PM I read a book sometime ago now, i have it still somewhere, not sure where but i know i still have it, written by a man who served in the Gloucesters at the Imjin River, and later served in 22 SAS through the mid - late fifties and into the sixties... Anyway, as he described the aftermath of the battle: He said: 'We were all, or what was left of us, including our CO, CSM and RSM along the road, although we had surrended, we were un-beaten and un-bowed.

A Commie staff car was making its way along the road, until it stopped where we were sitting, a commie big fish got out as his driver opened the rear door, he looked at us for awhile, then he spoke.' "You English!" he said "Why you come so far, to fight on ground that isn't your own?" 'We all spoke up, at once, 'Order's' "You come all this why because of Orders, and you fight so hard, and so bravely for a hill in a land that is not your own!" "I commend your spirit, and courage gentlemen, and i say this. I pitty any enemy, who trys to take your Homeland, England. If you fight like you have on a hill in a land that is not your own, then i can see that you would fight even harder and with more courage on your own land!!" We never saw that Commie Officer again, but we felt proud that we had won a sort of victory, even though we had no choice but to surrender.......

That's from the book, i'll try and find it out, i haven't forgotten what that Chinse Officer said, and i have posted it as best as have remebered it, and none of us should forget it, and i have to say this! I PITTY OUR ENEMIES, OUTLANDERS OR HOME GROWN, THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY ARE FACING!!! 3 “A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist.

A murderer is less to fear.” ― Cicero Posted 25 April 2011 - 12:34 AM Korean War heroes remember fallen comrades on 60th anniversary - Telegraph British heroes of a battle that changed the course of the Korean war remembered their fallen comrades at a memorial service in South Korea on Saturday. On the 60th anniversary of the Battle of the Imjin River, 80 war veterans sat in a memorial park near the hill where heavily outnumbered soldiers from the Gloucestershire Regiment held up Chinese Communist troops for three days in April 1951. The battle took place at Hill 235, which became known as Gloster Hill, and the resistance by the Glorious Glosters stopped Chinese forces sweeping on to capture the South Korean capital of Seoul 30 miles to the south. At the service Private Ben Whitchurch, 79, read the Ode of Remembrance in front of the war monument with a clear, proud voice. His courageous comrades, dignified in medal-bedecked uniforms, struggled to hold back the tears.

Recalling the battle, Pte Whitchurch, from Bristol, said Chinese troops came over the treeless hillsides like ants but, against all the odds, the Glorious Glosters, part of the 29th Infantry brigade, held their ground for three days. The brigade lost nearly 25 per cent of its entire strength, with 1,091 men killed, captured or missing in action. More than 500, including Pte Whitchurch, were taken to prisoner-of-war camps. In a message delivered by an army general, South Koreas president, Lee Myung-Bak, said: The sacrifices of the heroes and other veterans have enabled the Republic of Korea to build a country full of freedom and prosperity in just two generations. Their death was truly an honourable and noble death. Our freedom and prosperity have made their sacrifice even more noble and they too must be very proud of what they have helped us accomplish. The commemoration service began with the veterans being called to attention before they marched over a bridge, now known as Gloster Bridge.

The flags of the United Nations, South Korea and the United Kingdom fluttered in the breeze during a moving service and wreaths were laid at the memorial carved into the bottom of the hill. Peter Luff, a British defence minister, told the gathering: What took place here is the signature event of the Korean War and the achievements of The Gloucestershire Regiment and all the others who fought on the Imjin River almost defies belief. Sixty years on, we in the UK are aware of what South Korea has achieved since that conflict. Two officers of the regiment received the Victoria Cross for their parts in the battle, while a third was awarded the George Cross. Talks between the two sides dragged on until the armistice was signed in July 1953. Military historians believe that had Gloster Hill not been held for three days, the Chinese would have been able to recapture Seoul and turn the course of the war decisively in their favour. Like many of his comrades, Pte Whitchurch recalls vividly the events of 60 years ago.

Standing close to the shallow foxhole from where he watched the initial Chinese advance exactly six decades ago, he said: We had seen some skirmishes earlier in the day, but then suddenly they were coming over the hills like ants. We called for artillery support and the 25-pounders rounds were skimming the heads of our troops as they came over from the rear of the hill. At the start of the battle, I had two bandoliers around me with about 100 rounds, but they only lasted the first day, he said. He wished he had been armed with something with a faster rate of fire than an Enfield rifle. The Chinese had forded the river both to the east and west of Hill 235 and engaged The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers and The Royal Ulster Rifles. Further support came from the Royal Artillery and Centurion tanks of the 8th Hussars [my Dad's unit], but the 8,000 men who were part of the United Nations force defending South Korea were outnumbered by about four-to-one by the Chinese and the hill was quickly surrounded.

There were no rations, no water and limited medical supplies, so when a US-led attempt to break through to the position failed, the men were ordered to attempt to break out and return to allied lines - a seemingly impossible task. Pte Whitchurch and a group of around 30 soldiers were ambushed as they headed for a ridge to the south. The Chinese just stood up or came out of the tree line and opened fire on us, he said. They killed six men, but as soon as they realised we had no ammunition left they stopped firing. Their ordeal was not over. They herded us down to a road and made us kneel down with our hands behind our heads, execution-style, and I thought we were going to die, Pte Whitchurch said.

We had seen piles of Chinese dead 10 ft high alongside the road, there were thousands of bodies, and I thought they were sure to kill us. Instead, they were relieved of all their personal possessions and began a six-week forced march, burying those who died of their wounds along the way, that ended in a prison camp 10 miles north of Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. Pte Whitchurch and several hundred troops endured attempts to brainwash them, temperatures of minus 40 degrees in the winter and stifling heat in the summer, strafing by US Air Force fighters and a diet of rice, rice and more rice, he said. Thirty-four prisoners died in captivity. One of the worst things, Pte Whitchurch said, was not knowing how the war was going and not being able to contact his family. It was 18 months after the battle on the Imjin River before his parents even got word that he was a PoW.

Private Sam Mercer, 81, a former PoW who lost his left eye and was injured in his right leg by shrapnel during the battle said that, after surrendering and indicating to a Chinese soldier that he could not walk, the soldier shot him through his left leg. As he made his way down the hill, he was stopped by another Chinese soldier and gave him his watch so he was allowed to rejoin his comrades. Pte Mercer, from Streatham, south London, spent two years in a prison camp before being repatriated and having his left leg amputated below the knee. But he is not bitter and considers hinmself lucky to be alive. If the Chinese man who shot me turned up on my doorstep tomorrow, I would give him a bearhug and make him welcome, he said. He was only doing his job and I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. You cant harbour a grudge for ever. Michael Synnott was attending a memorial ceremony for the third time, although he did not fight in Korea.

His older brother, William, was a 32-year-old private when he was killed on Gloster Hill and his remains have never been recovered. "I felt the worst the first time I laid a wreath on the hill, said Mr Synnott, 82, from Dublin. Its hard to explain and, after all these years, what can you do? I miss him. Pte Whitchurch said he would do it all again. There was a sense of excitement and it was just an adventure, especially at the beginning, but wed all go through it again, he said. Steve Gender:Male Posted 25 April 2011 - 04:01 AM An excellent story Steven and one very close to my heart, my grandfather served in the Glosters in early WW2 but transfered, due to medical reasons, to the REME before their ill fated departure to Burma.

I also was an Army Cadet bagded to the Glosters and had the honour of wearing the 'back badge' an honour bestowed on then during the battle of Alexandra in 1801 where the order 'rear rank, right about face' was given and the regiment held off an attack from the French cavalry. They had more battle honours on their standard than any other British unit. I believe that they are the only British regiment that wear a United States commondation on their tunics (also gained in Korea). They were an outstanding unit steeped in history and honour, it is a true shame that they amalgamated and their proud history disolved. I think that the battle for Gloster Hill would make an excellent film, although I did see it mentioned during Peter and Dan Snows 20th century battlefields. I guess hollywood would have to paint an English Regt in a good light.. I salute all the men who fought and died on that battlefield and I can assure you that the Gloucestershire Regt is still held in very high regard by many. One of my uncles was killed in Korea and my dad was over there also.

Gender:Male Posted 27 April 2011 - 07:54 PM An excellent story Steven and one very close to my heart, my grandfather served in the Glosters in early WW2 but transfered, due to medical reasons, to the REME before their ill fated departure to Burma. I also was an Army Cadet bagded to the Glosters and had the honour of wearing the 'back badge' an honour bestowed on then during the battle of Alexandra in 1801 where the order 'rear rank, right about face' was given and the regiment held off an attack from the French cavalry. They had more battle honours on their standard than any other British unit. I believe that they are the only British regiment that wear a United States commondation on their tunics (also gained in Korea). They were an outstanding unit steeped in history and honour, it is a true shame that they amalgamated and their proud history disolved. I think that the battle for Gloster Hill would make an excellent film, although I did see it mentioned during Peter and Dan Snows 20th century battlefields. I guess hollywood would have to paint an English Regt in a good light..

I salute all the men who fought and died on that battlefield and I can assure you that the Gloucestershire Regt is still held in very high regard by many. Iï¿½m not 100% sure , but werenï¿½t 41 ( Independent) Commando , Royal Marines, given a unit citation for their contribution to the Retreat from the Chosin reservoirs- a famous US Marine Corps action? Apparently, their contribution was out of all proportion to their relatively small number. 1 Gender:Male Posted 27 April 2011 - 08:10 PM Iï¿½m not 100% sure , but werenï¿½t 41 ( Independent) Commando , Royal Marines, given a unit citation for their contribution to the Retreat from the Chosin reservoirs- a famous US Marine Corps action? Apparently, their contribution was out of all proportion to their relatively small number. That's correct i believe, but to make sure, you need to ask Badger to make certain mate, but i'm fairly sure it is correct!!

They were mentioned in the 50's Movie with Frank Lovejoy called 'Retreat' Hell' i believe it was called, made around 1954? Another good movie from the ada of Hollywood eg. 30's, 40's 50's!! 0 “A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear.” ― Cicero Posted 27 April 2011 - 10:52 PM U.S. Navy Presidential Citation Ribbon Retreat! Hell!

was 1952 Cheer's Badgy, i knew you'd be able to help, oh and thank's for the correction on the movie year 1952, i knew it was Frank Lovejoy though!! 0 “A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear.” ― Cicero Gender:Male Posted 28 April 2011 - 01:36 PM Correct, they were awarded a presidential unit citation in '57 - better late than never I suppose.

I remember seeing 41's unit colours on the drill shed wall at CTC Lympstone in 1982. They were disbanded and marched off at Deal in 1980. The other unit to survive the war from 3 Commando Brigade was 43 Commando and they were finally disbanded in 1968. However, 43's colours are now with Comacchio Company Royal Marines, which was formed in 1980. Steve I believe that the delay in awarding the citation was due to the fact that the US Navy NEVER handed out awards to foreign units (the action was in 1950)- I don't know if an exception was made for 41, or if they had changed the rules by 1957 ? 0 Gender:Male Posted 28 April 2011 - 03:41 PM I believe that the delay in awarding the citation was due to the fact that the US Navy NEVER handed out awards to foreign units (the action was in 1950)- I don't know if an exception was made for 41, or if they had changed the rules by 1957 ?

You may be right, Searu, but don't be too hasty blaming the Yanks. The British Government are very po-faced about 'foreign' awards and decorations too! I am qualified to wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia (Malaysian Campaign Medal), but although I have been presented with one, I'm not allowed to wear it, unlike the other recipients - the Aussies and Kiwis. (I do wear it BTW, but below my others - naughty!) Since 2006 a move has been in place to urge the government to change its mind, but nothing seems to have come of it. I imagine they're all too busy filling out their expenses claims! Shame really, it's such a pretty gong. 0 Gender:Male Posted 29 April 2011 - 08:40 PM Having started my Military service with the Glosters and then on leaving to re sign back on again with RGBW, I can vouch to the loyalty and pride evperienced in both. The Glosters were West born and bred for the norm and at times West Counrty was put before Country as the old recruitment flyers show.

The RGBW bonded in a short matter of time with the DERR's (Or more commonly known as Cockneys or F*****G DERR's)on amalgamation. This became a very strong unit that adopted all the traditions of both former Regiments but more important reatained and honoured the Back Badge (A large number of us have this tattoed on our backs.) As for he next amalgamation none of us were happy as you would expect, but knowing what I do now and with are recruitment being considerably stronger than most/all. We have put alot of other units noses out of joint by becoming more rounder stronger and definately second to none within the Battle space of Afghanistan. 0 Our ancestors took this land. They took it and made it. We do not give up what our ancestors gave us. They came across the sea and fought here. This is our land,mixed with our blood, strengthened with our bone ours. Gender:Male Posted 02 May 2011 - 03:26 PM I stand corrected on the citation thing, however I recall the Glosters one being all blue (US presidential citation for heroism in action).

I once heard tale of the Glosters and a RM unit never standing together on parade, to do with something that occured in Korea. Can anyone shed any light on this if it is true?? The ribbon I posted earlier was the one awarded to 41Cdo RM. This is the Gloucester's ribbon... I can't as yet find anything about the Gloucesters and the RM, but it's intriguing, so I'll keep searching! 0

Question: During which war did the Glorious Gloucesters earn their nickname?
Answer: KOREAN